PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Alia Soomro, Deputy Director for New York City Policy at New York League of Conservation Voters
3:39:00
·
146 sec
Alia Soomro from the New York League of Conservation Voters expressed disappointment with the inclusion of the DEP water rental payment in the FY 25 budget. She argued that this payment is unnecessary and negatively impacts water ratepayers and tenants by increasing costs.
- The city plans to charge its water board $1.4 billion in rent over the next 4 years, which will go to the general fund instead of water-related projects.
- NYLCV believes eliminating the rental payment would help leverage more state funding and allow for essential water infrastructure upgrades.
- Soomro expressed support for Intro 816, Resolution 83, and Intro 900.
Alia Soomro
3:39:00
Yes.
3:39:01
Good evening.
3:39:02
My name is Aliyah Sumro, and I'm the deputy director for New York City policy at the New York legal conservation voters.
3:39:08
Thank you, Chair General and members of the committee on environmental protection for the opportunity to comment.
3:39:13
I've submitted longer written comments.
3:39:16
NYLCB was deeply disappointed to see that the DEP water rental payment was included in the adopted FY 25 budget despite major concerns from advocates and elected officials.
3:39:28
The city plans to charge its own water board more than one point $4,000,000,000 in rent over the next 4 years to lease its water and sewer systems from the city.
3:39:38
This mechanism dates back decades ago when the city had mountains of water and sewer related debt backed by the city's general fund.
3:39:46
However, these rental payments are unnecessary today since nearly all of the pre 1985 general obligation debt is retired.
3:39:55
However, DEP's water payment revenue will be handed over to the city general fund for non water purposes.
3:40:01
Instead of staying with DEP where the agency couldn't direct it towards water related capital infrastructure projects.
3:40:08
NYLCV believes that reinstating the water rental payment is a poor policy decision one that negatively impacts water ratepayers and tenants alike since charging rent to the city's water board causes increased costs to be passed down to taxpayer ratepayers.
3:40:25
Moreover, this New York City water payments have been shown to be regressive since it is a US on homeowners, regardless of income and tenancy payments passed down to them in the former rent hikes.
3:40:36
Given the urgency of the climate crisis, it is essential that DDP keeps this revenue to make essential water infrastructure upgrades.
3:40:44
Eliminating the rental payment will also help New York City better leverage its fair share of the New York State environmental bond act funding.
3:40:52
We cannot successfully advocate for more state funding while our city continues to give away $1,400,000,000 in rental payments over the next 4 years
Robert F. Holden
3:41:02
Time is expired.
3:41:03
Purposes.
Alia Soomro
3:41:05
And I'll just wrap up.
3:41:06
We urge OMB and the administration to eliminate the water rental payment, and we are aligned with the council member in working with the state and other advocates to eliminate future water rental payments.
3:41:18
We support the bill intro 8 16, Reso 83, and intro 900.
3:41:24
Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
James F. Gennaro
3:41:26
Thank you.
